Improvement in car-couplings



J. B. & H. HVMOCARTNEY,

" Gar-Coupling.

No. 222,926. Patented Dec. 23,1879.

iii

muwmm III! M NFETERS. PHOTD-LITNOGRAPHER. WISHXNGTON. D Cv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. MOGARTNEY AND HENRY H. MCGARTNEY, OF VILLISCA, lOWA.

lMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 222,926, dated December 23, 1879; application filed August 16, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that W6,JAMES B. MCCART- NEY and HENRY H. MOGARTNEY, of 'Villisca, in the county of Montgomery and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Oar Couplings and Bumpers and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a top-plan view of one end of the lower framing of a railway-car with our invention attached. Fig. 2 is a bottom view, looking upward, of the parts shown at Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. at is avertical sectional view of the draw-bar head, shown as used with the ordinary coupling pin' and link. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of two of the (lrawbar heads coupled. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of two draw-bar heads as they approach to couple.

This invention relates to improvements in draw-bars and couplings of railway-cars and it consists, first, in hook-couplings arranged so that either may act as an inclined plane to raise the other into position for coupling with the rear end of the other as the cars approach each other; second, in oscillating or tilting catches, with which the hook-couplings engage to effect the coupling, and which may be, vibrated or oscillated to free the hooks and uncouple; third, in alaterally-oscillatingdrawbar, with spring adjustments; fourth, in combination with a draw-bar which may yield in the direction of its length, a spring which'may be adjusted to regulate its resistance to the yielding draw-bar.

The invention further consists in constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims hereto annexed.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A A represent the bottom framing of one end of an ordinary railway-car, and B a car-truck. O is a draw-bar, with head D on its outer end, constructed as hereinafter described. The rear end of the bar 0 is pivoted by a vertical bolt, b, to the framing A, so that the barO may be oscillated in a horizontal plane at its forward end, and the bolt b is seated in aslot, b,in the framing A, which permits the bar 0 to have a longitudinal reciprocating movement.

E is a spring, of rubber or any other suitable material, placed at the rear end of the bar 0, to resist its backward movement and restore it to its normal position, and is adjustable to regulate its resistance to the bar 0 by means of a screw-bolt, 0, which passes through the bar 0 in rear of the spring E. F F are spring-plates, attached at their rear ends, oneto the outer side of each framing-bar A. F F are studs or pins projecting one from each side of the bar O through the bars A, and their outer ends resting against the springs F, which springs allow the bar 0 to oscillate horizontally and retain it, when not forced to one side, parallel with the bars A.

The head D is open at its outer front end and lower side.

G is a coupling-hook, with a hook, g, on its under sideand front end, and is pivoted atits rear end in the head D by a transverse bolt,

d. A transverse bolt, 61, passes through the head D, forward of and below the bolt 01 and below the hook-bar G, to hold the couplinghook G at about the angle to a vertical line shown at Fig. 6 of the drawings, and at the same time permit its outer end being raised, as hereinafter described. v

The rear pivoted end of the couplinghook is slotted to receive a tilting-catch, H, which, is pivoted at its upper end on the bolt 0?, and has a face, h, on its upper rear side, which stands about in a vertical plane when in its normal position, as shown at Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The lower end of the catch H projects down-' ward to form a handle, it, by which the catch may be oscillated by means of levers I I, the inner ends of which are connected by a link, J, to the lower end of the handle 71/, and the outer ends of which project to the outside of the car, and may be drawn forward at'their outer ends to cause their inner ends to draw back the handle it, and thereby incline the face h of the tilting-catch, as shown by dotted lines at Fig. 5 of the drawings. A spiral spring, j, placed between the handle h and a stndyj, and encircling the link J, throws the handle it again forward when the levers I are released, and thereby brings the face h of the catch into a vertical position. The handle h may be drawn back to tilt the catch 'H by the ordinary brake-shaft K with hand-wheel 7c and ratchet k, and a chain, It", connecting its lower end with one of the levers I.

L is a catch on thelower side of the framing A, with which a lever, I, may be engaged when drawn forward when desired to hold the face h of the tilting catch in an inclined position.

M is a cord, attached at its forward end to' the lower end of the handle h, and, passing back through the stud j, is attached at its rear end to the framing A some distance to one sideof the link J, and it will be seen that if the front end of the draw-bar is inclined much to the side opposite where the cord is attached to the frame A it (the cord) will draw back the lower end of the handle h, and thus incline the faceh of the catch H, and if a similar cord is attached on the opposite side of the link J the catch H will be tilted when the draw-bar is inclined much toward the other side of the car.

' The hooks g are formed about as shown in the drawings, and are slotted on theirnnder sides to receivea square-shaped block, N, which is journaled therein on a shaft, n, inaboutthe relative position to the hooks g. (Shown at Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.)

0 isa spring secured to the draw=head at its forward end, and its rear end resting on the rear end of the hook-coupling G.

As shown at Fig. 6 of the drawings, when two cars approach, the forward ends of the hook-bars G being pointed, one or the other of said bars will slide upward on the inclined plane formed by the upper side of the other until the hook g of the upper bar, G, passes and drops in rear of the catch H of the other, as shown at Fig. 5 of the drawings, and this effects the coupling. The vertical side or face h of the catch H will hold the books 9 securely,

especially when aided by the now vertical face of the block N in the hook g, which is engaged. The spring 0 will prevent the hook .9 being thrown up to disengage it by any ordinary jarring of the cars.

Uncoupling may be effected by drawing back the handle h to incline the face it ofthe catch H, as hereinbefore described, and thus allow the hook g'to escape in the evident manner,

and as it will be facilitated in doing by the block N, which will also be turned as the face h turns, asshown bydotted lines at Fig. 5 of the drawings.

As hereinbefore described, the handle h may be drawn back to tilt the catch H either} by the levers I or the brake-wheel shaft K.

Should a car be thrown from the track the draw-bar will be drawn to one side thereby, and the cord M'be made to draw back the handle hand tilt the catch Hto uncouple the cars.

By withdrawing the bolt 01, and allowing 'in the upper wall of the draw-bar head and in rear of the pin d.

What we claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway-car coupling each half of which is-t-he duplicate of the other, a hook-bar, G,and tilting catch H, both being mounted on the same pivot, and the hook-bar so arranged that it may act'either as the draw- -hook of the united coupling or as the'guide or incline to the draw-hook of the other half of the coupling, substantially asand for the purpose-set forth.

2. In combination with a pivotedcouplinghook, G, an oscillating or tilting catch, H, mounted on the same pivot, and having aface which may either be turned to engage with and secure the corresponding hook of the other half of the coupling, or tilted or turned to disengage the same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A hook coupling-bar, G, pivoted at its rear end to the pivot d of the draw-head, in combination with a tiltingcatch, H, mounted on the same pivot, and adapted to receive and hold the hook of the other half of the coupling, and to tilt or turn to release them, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with hook cou 'iling-bars and a tilting catch, a link J,- springj, and le vers I for actuating the tilting catch, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with hook coupling-bars G and tilting catch H, link J, levers I, and hand-wheel shaft K, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In combination with hook coupling-bars G, a tilting catch, H, a link, J, and levers I, a spring, j, for restoring the tilting catch H to its normal position, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

7. In combination with a laterally-oscillating draw-head, the slide-pins F and springs F, arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

8. Alaterally-oscillatingdraw-bar,O,in c0mbination with spring -E and adjustable bolt 0, substantially as described.

9. In combination, hook-couplings G, tilting catches H, and square shaped blocks N, journaled in the hooks g, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

:In testimony that we claiinthe foregoing as ourown we affix our signatures in presence'of two witnesses.

JAMES. B. MGGARTNEY. HENRY H. MGOARTNEY. Witnesses:

L. W. OnILDs, F. L. INGMAN. 

